Mangshan National Forest Park

Mangshan National Forest Park

Mangshan National Forest Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, a national forest park, and a science education base.

In the Wuling mountain range of southern Yizhang County, there lies a verdant, scenic green treasure — Mangshan, known as the "Second Xishuangbanna" and the "Natural Tree Garden of Southern China." The mild climate and ample rainfall have fostered a rich variety of forest vegetation, resulting in a distinctive and intriguing landscape where tropical, subtropical, temperate, and even some cold-climate forest plants coexist in harmony. Preliminary surveys have identified over 1,500 species of flowering plants, 102 families and more than 700 species of woody plants, along with ancient and rare tree species such as the long-bracted fir. It’s truly a living forest museum.

Located at the border of Hunan and Guangdong provinces within Yizhang County, Hunan, Mangshan National Forest Park spans a total area of 19,822 hectares, with its highest peak reaching 1,980 meters above sea level. The park is home to a vast array of species and abundant flora and fauna, with a forest coverage rate of 96%. Its unique natural conditions have created a convergence of northern and southern plant species, earning it the reputation of the "Second Xishuangbanna." It features one of the world’s most representative examples of primary secondary evergreen broad-leaved forests in the moist subtropics, with over 2,700 species of higher plants, more than 300 species of vertebrates, and around 60 species of nationally protected plants and animals. Among these are the South China tiger and the Mangshan pit viper, both listed in the China Red Data Book of Endangered Animals.

"China’s Southern Ridge · Hunan-Guangdong Mangshan" — the best-preserved primeval forest at this latitude on Earth, a gene bank for flora and fauna of Southern China, and a granite geological mountain range of the Nanling Mountains. It is the largest national forest park in Hunan Province and is also known as the "Second Zhangjiajie" and the "Little Huangshan" of the province.

The park boasts magnificent, majestic, steep, and mystical natural landscapes, including the Ghost Village Scenic Area with its ancient towering trees, serene forests, and peculiar rocks; the Yanzi Stone area with its cluster of dramatic peaks and steep cliffs; and the Mengkeng Stone site, ideal for watching sea of clouds and sunrise while taking in the wonders of high mountains.

The Wuzhifeng (Five-Finger Peak) Scenic Area of Mangshan has installed facilities such as cable cars, escalators, self-service "climbing machines," and cliffside vertical sightseeing elevators between altitudes of 1,400 and 1,600 meters, creating an accessible tourism route that allows people with limited mobility to reach the mountaintop without ever leaving their wheelchairs. On October 26, the China Tourism Attractions Association and the China Disabled Persons' Federation respectively awarded the Wuzhifeng Scenic Area the titles of "China’s First Barrier-Free Mountain-Type Tourist Attraction" and "China’s First Barrier-Free Mountain-Type Scenic Area."

The Mangshan · Wuzhifeng Scenic Area is located in Rongjiadong, Yizhang County, Chenzhou City, Hunan Province, encompassing the core highlights of the vast Mangshan region. It features dozens of attractions, including Wuzhifeng (Five-Finger Peak), Jinbian Grand Canyon, Jinbian Divine Pillar, Motian Ridge, Tiantai Mountain, Guanyin Ancient Temple, and the Wanshou Pagoda.

It boasts the world’s most advanced control system for sightseeing cable cars, the longest single-line cable car in China, the longest cloud-level plank walkway in Southern China, and a cliff elevator at an altitude of 1,600 meters.

The Ghost Village Scenic Area (also known as Chuangwang Valley) is the first natural scenic area in Hunan Province. As early as 1957, it was designated as one of China’s 14 natural scenic areas due to its unique natural beauty and abundant rare flora and fauna. The area features crystal-clear streams and a negative ion concentration of -00 per cubic centimeter, making it a pristine natural oxygen bar. Major natural attractions include towering forests of Yue pine and fir, General Stone, Town Mountain Divine Needle, waterfalls, Immortal Path, General’s Platform, Welcoming Pine, Shangri-La, a heavenly paradise, and Wooden Fish Stone.

The Yazi Stone Scenic Area (also called Tiantai Mountain) features majestic and imposing mountain terrain with steep cliffs, deep valleys, and a scattering of peculiar peaks and strange rocks. After rain, when the skies clear, mist shrouds the peaks, creating a dreamlike fairyland. The area is rich in Buddhist cultural heritage, and the mystery of the incorrupt female corpse adds to its enigmatic allure. Key attractions include Immortal Palm Peak, Boy Peak, Jinbian Divine Pillar, Great Leaders Meeting Guanyin, East Heavenly Gate, the First Peril of Southern Heaven, Little Huashan, Immortal Leek Slope, Azalea Forest, Guanyin Hall, Tiantai Temple, and Millennium Yew Trees.

The Mengkeng Stone Scenic Area (also called Shikengkong), at an elevation of 1,902.3 meters, is the highest peak in Mangshan and straddles the borders of Hunan and Guangdong provinces and three cities. As the highest peak in Guangdong Province, it is known as the "First Peak of Southern Heaven." Towering into the clouds and surrounded by other mountains, it offers an exceptional vantage point for watching sunrises and sea of clouds. The site was once a military outpost, housing a People’s Liberation Army Air Force radar unit, and still retains bunker-style observation posts, radar equipment, trench remnants, and hidden ammunition tunnels. Major attractions include Golden Turtle Stone, Toad Stone, Military Camp Secret Cave, and Alpine Dwarf Forest.

The Monkey King Cave Scenic Area is backed by pristine forests and sheer cliffs, with ancient trees covering the sky. The narrow valley and winding paths weave between mountains and water, featuring clusters of waterfalls, each with its own pool, scattered in a picturesque arrangement. With negative ion levels as high as 100,300 per cubic centimeter and occasional visits from wild monkeys foraging and playing in the water, it’s an ideal spot for enjoying the water, viewing monkeys, breathing in fresh air, and nourishing your lungs. Key sights include Bishuitan (Silver Brocade Jade Basin), Chungu Pool, Gantian Pool, Monkey King Pool, Rocky Shoal, Peacock Display, Water Curtain Cave, Rocky Waterfall, and Panlong Valley.

The Mangshan Pearl River Source Rafting is located within the Mangshan Park scenic area and is the source of the Beijiang River, a tributary of the Pearl River. The starting point is just five kilometers along the scenic area road from the park entrance (which serves as the rafting endpoint). The 5-kilometer rafting journey takes about two hours. Along the way, you’ll be surrounded by dense primeval forests, stunning scenery, and fresh air — the perfect natural oxygen bar with negative ion levels reaching 100,690 per cubic centimeter. The river water is crystal clear and of excellent quality, often referred to as "mineral water surfing."

The Mangshan Natural Museum is divided into two main sections: the Animal Museum and the Mangshan Pit Viper Museum. The Animal Museum primarily displays specimens of animals native to the Mangshan area, while the Pit Viper Museum is dedicated to the unique pit vipers found only in Mangshan.

Address: Near County Road 169, Yizhang County, Chenzhou City

Type: Rafting, Mountain, Forest

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visit Duration: About 5 hours

Phone: 0735-3991182

Opening Hours:

7:00-17:00

Ticket:

Peak Season (April–November): 104 RMB

Off-Season (December–March): 80 RMB, valid for two days

Children under 1.3 meters and seniors over 70 with valid ID enter free; students and seniors aged 60–69 receive discounted tickets with valid ID.

Transportation:

Public Transport:

1. Chenzhou South Station: Departures at 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM, and 2:20 PM daily, with the 2:20 PM bus departing from Chenzhou Railway Station.

2. From Changsha to Mangshan:

Railway: K541 departs from Changsha at 9:20 AM and arrives in Chenzhou at 1:53 PM.

Changsha South Bus Station: There are luxury buses to Chenzhou or Yizhang via the expressway every day.

3. Yizhang to Mangshan:

Yizhang: Buses depart daily at 7:30 AM, 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:50 PM, and 1:00 PM.

Passing buses: Buses pass by the scenic area at 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM.